The Queen of Pentacles would not slam the door, no matter how
much she wanted to.  She was above that sort of thing.

     "Welcome home, young mistress.  Dinner will be served in half
an hour."  The housekeeper's expression when she looked at Maki's
face was a worried one.

     Maki forced an insipid smile on to her face.  It was so much
harder to play the role after sunset, even though it was how she once
truly had been.  "That's great!  Will my parents be with us?"  Fat
chance, she thought, though it would be nice for a change.

     The housekeeper, gray hair peeking from under her kerchief,
relaxed from nervous to sad.  "No, miss.  Your father was called to
Osaka on business this morning, and your mother won't be back from
her Save the Whales charity event until about midnight."

     Maki's sigh was genuine.  "Can't be helped, I guess.  Maybe
tomorrow!"  Even before she'd awakened to her true nature, her
powers had made her family prosperous.  But that same prosperity had
separated them from each other.

     "I made your favorite," assured the older woman.

     "Thanks!"  Maki skipped up the stairs to her room, though her
heart was heavy.

     Once in her room, the Queen of Pentacles let her mask slip. 
"Joker is such an idiot!  If only my reliable allies in the Arcana
would awaken...but he has been useful, and may still be so.  I can't
kill him until I get a good replacement."  And I still have just a
little crush on him, she thought.

     She changed out of her uniform into one of the many nice
dresses her father had bought in lieu of "quality time."  "And a
queen
shouldn't whine.  So what if the Council holds all the cards?" 
Maki stopped, annoyed by her own figure of speech.

     "I need to build a support base until my big guns show up. 
Something those fools won't be looking for.  Pawns."  She picked up
her deck.  "Let's see what the Tarot suggests."


ARCANA
Created by Scott Schimmel

Chapter Six:  Bid and Call
written by Scott K. Jamison

     Hotaru shivered a bit in the morning breeze.  Her hair was still
damp from the ice water used to awaken her.

     "Honestly, dear!  I did call more than once, you know."  Mrs.
Komatane held out a lunch to her daughter.  "And I don't think I
can turn the alarm any louder without the neighbors complaining."

     "It's okay, Mom, I was just having a really good dream."  She
even remembered a bit of it, more magical instruction.

     Hotaru took off running, as was usual on school days.  What was
unusual was that as soon as she turned the corner, Keisuke Shirosawa
was running alongside her.  Apparently all the base running he did
helped, because he was easily pacing her.

     "G-good morning, sempai!" she puffed.

     "Morning, Hotaru-chan.  My turn to watch you today, though if
what Miyuki-chan said is true, then you'll be able to take care of
yourself in no time."  

     They quickly arrived at the school, Keisuke not seeming even
to breathe heavily.  But maybe that was part of his powers.

     "Shirosawa-sempai, I have a question."

     He grinned.  "Call me Keisuke if you want.  So shoot."

     "Keisuke-sempai, you said earlier you were the tenth Knight of
Clubs, while Miyuki-san was only the fourth Fortune.  Shouldn't
they be about equal?"

     "Well, the Knights are usually combat positions, so they tend
to die more often.  And Fortune's powers allow her to see most danger
coming, so they're pretty hard to kill.  I think the second one
actually died of old age."  Keisuke stroked his chin.  "You could
ask her, I suppose.  Miyuki-chan has the most complete memories, as
far as I can tell." 

     "That makes sense.  Well, I'll see you later!"  Hotaru, having
got her second wind, sprinted towards the shoe cupboards.

      Several of the other girls from her grade were there,
clustered near her cubbyhole.  And for some reason, they didn't look
too happy.

      The tallest walked up to her.  "Komatane-san.  You're turning
into quite the playgirl, aren't you?"

     Hotaru looked blank and asked, "What are you talking about?"

     "Why, last night you left with Koishikawa-san.  He's got a
reputation, you know."  The tall girl sneered.  "And then this
morning, you arrive with Shirosawa-sempai, the most eligible boy in
school!"

     Hotaru blushed a bit as it suddenly clicked who these girls
were.  The Keisuke Shirosawa fan club, an organization she might have
belonged to herself, if she'd been bold enough to admit her interest
out loud.

     "It's not like that," she said in a small voice.

     "She's probably telling the truth," suggested one of the girls
in the back, only her hair ribbon visible from Hotaru's viewpoint. 
"After all, she hangs around with Forrester, you know, the freak?"

     "You take that back!"  Hotaru squeaked.  "Natsu-chan's a good
person!" 

     This was met with giggles all around.  

     The tall girl said, "That may be.  But if you want to stay
healthy, you stay away from Shirosawa-sempai, got it?"  She let a
gleam of something metallic show from inside her hand.

     Hotaru felt her temper fraying.  It would be so easy to unleash
flames on these unsuspecting harridans.  Just a little concentration,
and--

     "Is there a problem here?"  The voice was freon-chilled.

     "Er, no, Yasuragi-sempai!  We were just having a friendly
discussion."  The tall tormentor backed up a step, causing a chain
reaction away from Sumire as everyone behind had to move.

     "Friendship is a luxury.  Punctuality is a necessity."  As if
to emphasize the older girl's words, the class chimes rang.  "I trust
you all know where your classrooms are?"

     The fan club scattered.

     Sumire turned to Hotaru.  "Komatane, we survive the longest if
we keep a low profile.  Tempting though it may be to strike down
the wicked, you shouldn't do it in public."  With that she marched
off.

          &                    &                    &

     By noon, it had gotten unseasonably warm, and Hotaru loosened
her collar a bit as she sat in the shade.  She could have eaten lunch
with her other friends, but today she wanted to be alone.

     Was I really going to burn them? she asked herself.  And where
did I pick the word "harridans" up from?  Come to think of it, how
did Yasuragi-sempai know what I was thinking?

     "Gomen."

     Hotaru looked up, and nearly fell over.  She hadn't noticed
anyone approaching.  Let alone getting that close.
    
     Then her eyes narrowed.  She recognized the girl by her hair
ribbon.  The one who'd called Natsu a "freak."

     "What do you want?"

     The other girl put her hand behind her head and laughed
nervously.  "I'm sorry about, you know, this morning.  I didn't know,
Mariko just told me, your friend was in the hospital and that same
guy came back to attack you last night and Shirosawa-sempai
volunteered to protect you and all..."

     "You called Natsu-chan a `freak.'"

     "I'm sorry!  I just figured since she dressed like that that she
was, well, you know, and--I'm just digging myself in deeper, aren't
I?  Gotta go!"  The girl rushed off.

     Hotaru sighed.  Most people were sensible enough not to let
their prejudices show, but there were a few....  She hoped Natsu
would be ready to leave the hospital tonight.

     A drop of sweat came off her nose.  Hotaru looked around to see
no one was watching, then summoned a small breeze to cool her.  "This
part of magic I could get to like."

          &                    &                    &

     The Tower Reversed's meeting hall was actually seeming lively
for once, as Tetsuya had shown up on time, Hanako in tow.

     "How did you explain her to your parents?" asked Hotaru.

     "I didn't.  She camped out on the roof, wouldn't come inside."

     "Parents always want to turn me in to the child protection
people," Hanako explained.  "I ain't got time for those people."  She
looked over the chairs, then picked a modest-looking one.  Her feet
dangled well above the floor.

     "So you are our latest recruit."  Sumire almost seemed to be
smiling.  "Miyuki, if you'd brief her?"

     The blind girl began giving Hanako much the same explanation
Hotaru had heard before, and the Magician's attention began to
wander.  Her gaze fell upon the other doors to the meeting chamber. 
I wonder what's down there? she thought.  I wonder if the Council
collects rare treasures or souvenirs of their adventures?

     "Oh, I should mention," continued Miyuki, "you really shouldn't
let other people handle your cards."

     Hotaru turned her attention back to the table.  "Why?  It'll
mess up the vibes?"

     "Not exactly.  The decks are magical, and some `ordinary' humans
are sensitive enough to pick that up.  An Arcana who's been caught
off guard by someone who thinks they're a monster is just as
vulnerable to getting killed as anyone else.  And there have been a
couple of instances of people coming to harm from misusing the cards
they were lent."

     Keisuke asked, "Are there any current dangers we should be aware
of?"
     
     Miyuki turned in his direction.  "The Queen of Pentacles is
still out there somewhere, and is no doubt plotting against us.  And
The Fool is hard to read until he's ready to strike.  Other than
that, nothing in the immediate future that I know of."

     Hotaru said, "What are we going to do about Hanako?  We can't
just let her sleep in the street."

     "Well, I'm not taking her in," insisted Tetsuya.  "I have a
reputation for good taste in women I want to uphold."

     Keisuke and Sumire barely refrained from rolling their eyes.

     "I can stay here."  Hanako was eyeing the room speculatively. 
"It's out of the rain, quiet, and about as safe as I'm ever going to
find."

     "An excellent suggestion."  Sumire stood.  "There are living
quarters above this level, or perhaps I should say below, though they
have not been used in many years.  I'm not certain of the condition
of the bedding, but certainly we can find a spare blanket or two if
need be.  If that is all, this meeting is adjourned."

     Miyuki took Hanako's hand.  "The staircase is this way."

     As Hotaru picked up her bookbag, she heard the little girl say,
"This place feels kinda weird, but nice.  Maybe like...home."

          &                    &                    &    

     Two cigarettes left.  I really gotta quit smoking, Sagara
thought.
     
     He had a choice, a new pack tonight or a cheap bowl of ramen. 
If only there were more money...

     At least there hadn't been any more stabbing cases today.  The
Usono kid was still safely locked up, and everyone else seemed to be
taking it easy in this hot weather.  

     Even this close to sunset, there was still enough heat for the
pavement to throw up shimmers in the air.

     "Tell your fortune, mister?"

     Sagara blinked.  There hadn't been anyone sitting at that
outdoor cafe table just a moment ago.  He was reasonably certain of
that.  But now there was a young woman, more like a girl really, in a
deep purple dress, sitting there shuffling cards.

     "You talking to me, miss?"

     "I am!  Love, adventure, advancement, the cards know all."  She
spread a handful of them out on the table.

     Looking down, Sagara saw that the cards had pictures on them.  A
lot like the ones on the deck he and Nakamura had back at the
station.  Coincidence?

     "What kind of cards are those?" he asked.

     She smiled mysteriously.  "The Tarot.  According to legend, they
originally came from ancient Egypt, though the symbology is primarily
European.  Please, sit down."

     Huh, Sagara thought.  Maybe the Usono brat is into some sort of
mystical crap, and that's why he acts so weird.  
 
     He sat.

     The girl swept up the cards with one hand and blurred them back
into the deck.  Sagara admired the style.  

     "I've seen professional gamblers with less impressive shuffles."
     
     "Oh, you do flatter me."  She spread the cards in a complicated
pattern.  "I see that you work in some sort of law enforcement
capacity, perhaps a policeman?"

     Sagara nodded.  It wouldn't be too hard for her to guess that
from his appearance, or from asking around the neighborhood.

     "You seek justice, but sometimes it's denied.  And you have a
dislike for the niceties of paperwork."

     Yep, she's good, he thought.  He'd seen this sort of thing
before, they called it "cold reading", giving out general statements
that could fit anyone in a category, and watching how the mark
responded.

     "But not all is well in your world.  There is an illness close
to you, a loved one."

     Now a chill started down Sagara's back.  He'd kept up
appearances at the office.  His wife's cancer was a closely guarded
secret.

     "And you have suffered financial reverses.  A poor business
choice, perhaps?"

     Trust me to pick the Internet start-up most likely to flop and
put my life savings in it, thought Sagara.

     Her hand moved over a card with many swords on it, ten, it
looked like.  "The treatment she needs is very expensive, isn't it? 
And the mortgage is due soon.  And payday is so very far away.

     "But hope is at hand, a special gift."  She tapped a card with a
single five-pointed star inside a circle.  "I can make your money
problems go away."

     "And just how do you mean that?"

     "Follow me."  The girl, suddenly seeming more like a woman,
stood up and tucked the cards into her purse.

     "Where are we going?"

     "Just across the street."

     The green grocer's was having a barrel sweepstakes.  If you
bought a chance, you got to spin the barrel filled with colored
balls.  And if the right color ball came out, you won a prize.

     As the pair came up, a housewife groaned as a black ball came
out, meaning she'd won nothing.

     "Go ahead.  Try it," the woman suggested.  She handed Sagara a
hundred-yen coin.

     "But--"

     "Trust me.  You're lucky today!"  Suddenly she was back to the
friendly girl.

     Sagara stepped up to the counter and laid down the coin.  The
grocer's assistant nodded, and the policeman grabbed the crank.  He
gave it a few vicious twists, then let go. As the barrel slowed down,
a ball dropped from its spigot.

     A ball painted metallic gold.

     "Congratulations!" crowed the assistant.  "You've won the top
prize, a ten thousand yen shopping spree at our store!"

     Several people groaned, and one said, "Lucky bastard."

     "See, see, I told you!"  The girl was actually bouncing up and
down, clapping.

     Sagara said to the assistant, "I'll be right back."  He took the
girl by the arm and pulled her to a less crowded area.

     "All right, what's this all about?"

     She was a woman again.  It wasn't so much that her appearance
changed, as her attitude.  "I need a friend, someone to help me out
in times of trouble.  You need money.  I can provide that, and
legally, if you're willing to do as I say."

     Tales told by his crazy Christian aunt crawled in the back of
Sagara's memory.  "You're the Devil, aren't you, trying to get me to
sell my soul?"

     She laughed.  "I am most definitely not The Devil, and I don't
need your soul.  Just your loyalty, and a few small services.  I can
be very generous to my friends."

     "It's dangerous to bribe a policeman, you know.  Illegal."

     "Don't think of it as a bribe.  Think of it as a chance for your
wife to get the care she needs."

     He turned away.  "This could mean the end of my career if I'm
caught, you know."

     "Then I suggest you not get caught."  When Sagara turned around,
she was gone.

     He walked back to the green grocer's.  "I don't suppose you sell
smokes in this place?"

          &                    &                    &

     A gnarled hand spread over the Queen of Pentacles' card.

     "At last, you make a decision.  Grow and prosper, little queen. 
Take the world in your hands.  And then it will all be mine, as it
was always destined to be."


                       TO BE CONTINUED


Author's notes:  Thanks to my prereaders, Delfina, Scott Schimmel and
Dan Wood.
     Yes, this part is short, but I think you'll find it moves things
along a bit.  (Let's face it, two Arcana against six seems a trifle
unfair, and the Queen of Pentacles should be a legitimate threat.)
     I actually used one of the many Tarot sites on the Web, sorry,
don't remember the URL, to do Sagara's reading.  The Ten of Swords in
this case means that the querent's thinking is clouded by many
problems, and the Ace of Pentacles is an unexpected windfall.
     Send comments and/or criticism to skjam@yahoo.com